The Witching Hour
by MrsB108
Summary: Cullen/Lily - Cullen discovers Lily's secret.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The sweet taste of whiskey trickled down the back of Cullen Bohannon's throat as smoothly as silk. It was night and the air was filled with the scent of smoke from the smoldering fires littered around the camp providing minimal light to the few still awake.

Cullen couldn't sleep. His mind was constantly moving, constantly at unrest, and it was all he could do to bury himself in liquor in hopes that oblivion would bring him some much-needed nightly peace.

He stood beside the train car that had recently become his latest place of residence. His shoulders leaned back against the solid wood and metal, giving him some support as the very beginnings of oblivion began to slowly take him over.

From what Cullen could tell, most everyone was either asleep or quiet enough not to tell the difference.

It was the witching hour, as some called it.

Another swig of booze went down Cullen's throat and a sigh of relief soon afterwards.

He was waiting.

Cullen's eyes were fixed on the darkened train car of Mr. Thomas Durant.

A creak of a door opening softly filled the night and Cullen's trained eye caught the faintest glimmer of blonde hair from the cascading moonlight as Mrs. Lily Bell swiftly exited Durant's abode.

Cullen stared hard at her, observing her every movement as she silently and stealthily maneuvered her way across the camp back towards her tent. She was unaware of his watching her, as Cullen had been watching her perform this same task every night for the past week.

She paused just before she entered the dirt spattered flap to her tent, her hand poised on one of the rails. He watched her take a long, pained breath before entering and closing the flap behind her.

Cullen spit towards a dying fire, its embers briefly flaring at the action. He felt ill and did not attribute it to the empty liquor bottle.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Cullen Bohannon was tired. It had been another long, grueling day in the town. He had thought being foreman was a rough gig but being whatever he was now was much rougher. At least before he had to focus on only one thing, now his mind was scattered all over town from security to surveying to avoiding Mrs. Lily Bell as much as humanly possible, which usually proved a undoable feat.

Durant usually met with Cullen at least once a day to discuss the day's plans and updates which usually meant that Lily would be present in the room with him. Cullen attempted to completely ignore her but dammit all if she didn't make it impossible, always offering her opinion and then demanding the others see it her way.

Today was no different.

Durant had sent Elam Ferguson, Cullen' closest thing to a friend and rising star in Hell on Wheels, to fetch him and bring him back to his train car for an early morning discussion on railroad business.

Cullen nodded slowly as Elam relayed the message and then hesitantly made his way up the ravine towards the grandest car in the area, toting his rifle casually over his shoulder.

Cullen used his weapon to rap politely once on the car before entering through the doorway to find Durant and Lily having coffee at one of the tables inside. Cullen sighed inwardly and forced himself to look only at Durant.

'You wanted to see me?" he said briskly.

Durant nodded at the man and put his hand out indicating a third chair at the table. Cullen did not sit.

"Yes Mr. Bohannan. We were just discussing the latest Indian tribe that seems to be following our work with some great interest as you may have noticed. They've been watching us for the past thirty miles and although they haven't actually done anything to alarm us, they do have most of the workers spooked."

Cullen nodded, looking out the train car window at the cluster of Indians watching the town from the nearest tree line. The whole town knew they were there which had made everybody tense all week.

"I 'spect they're planning something soon or else they'd a quit watching few days ago," he responded.

Lily spoke next. "I think we should strike first; send them some sort of message before they invade the town or worse."

Cullen inclined to agree but just hearing her voice sent a bolt of lightning through his veins. He merely grunted in agreement, still looking out the window.

Durant shook his head. "I disagree. I think if we strike first blood, we'll have yet another endless war on our hands which will have us fighting when we should be building. Set up patrols round-the-clock and we'll wait these bastards out. Perhaps these savages will become distracted by something ridiculous like a cloud or a turtle."

Cullen sniffed in opposition and said simply, "You got it boss".

He turned and regrettably made brief eye contact with Lily on the way out. Her blue eyes locked his with such an intense look that something ached deep within him. He wondered for a moment if she looked at Durant that way and decided quickly that he didn't care and tipped his hat as he left the car.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Two days had passed and night had fallen. The sky showed no stars, presumably still filled with the massive storm clouds that had been there all day. The wind was notably rough, practically ripping the cigarette from Cullen's mouth as he made his way to his train car; his other hand held steadily to the hat on his head.

He'd made it to his doorstep when he heard the first rumbling of thunder. He tossed the butt of his cigarette into the dirt and gave it a quick stomp with his boot. Looking up into the dark abyss, a drop of rain fell to his forehead and he closed his eyes in fatigue.

He took his hat off wearily and turned to enter his car, when he heard the faintest _whoop_! not too far to the east.

Whatever thought he had of sleep left him in an instant and was replaced with unease and awareness.

He walked a few steps out towards the neighboring tree line and listened.

A few had moments passed…..nothing.

Then….._whoop_! was unmistakable. And this time it was closer.

His first thought was of her.

His hand went to the weapon at his belt and his head careened towards her tent. It was dark enough but not too dark for her to be at Durant's yet.

He walked swiftly to her residence while withdrawing the gun from its holster; the wind was whipping up a storm now. Dust and dirt swirled up in random patterns while the few people still in the streets began to run for cover.

"GET INSIDE!" Cullen barked to anyone he passed.

He'd made it to her tent just as rain began to cascade down on the town in sheets of furious anger.

Without announcing himself, he thrust open the flap to her tent and found her fussing with a lantern in the dimly lit area.

She turned towards him, startled, practically dropping the lantern on the floor in the process.

He took a long stride toward her and roughly grabbed the lantern from her hands, blowing it out.

He could feel her just staring up at him in the dark and as she began to say "What are you do –", he clamped a firm hand over her mouth.

She didn't resist him but he knew she did not yet understand what was happening. He had no time to coddle her as the flap to her tent flung open and the unknown face of an Indian became lit up as a streak of lightning passed behind him.

Cullen shot him straight in the face as Lily gasped and staggered back.

Without a moment's hesitation, Cullen grabbed Lily by her arm and rushed her out heading back towards the safety of his train car, stepping easily over the Indian's still bleeding corpse.

Outside was now chaos. People were screaming in the street, gun shots were being fired through the dark and blinding rain while Indians whooped and stealthily made their way through the streets.

The storm was in full force as a soaked and bedraggled Cullen and Lily rushed inside the near empty train car, with Cullen locking the door behind them.

He ran over to the window that faced the town and peeked through the curtain at the window, surveying and planning his next move.

Lily stood panting behind him, her hand poised at her stomach as she caught her breath.

"What do we do?" she asked, heaving.

Cullen turned towards her. "_We _don't do nothing. You're gonna stay here and I'm gonna go back out and help who I can."

He checked the ammunition in his gun and started back towards the door.

Lily side stepped in his way and put out her hand.

"I can't just stay here!"

"You can and you will." He went to step around her and she moved again.

"I will not! It's my right to help these people too!"

Cullen stepped closer to her so that his face was in hers and spoke with a fierceness that Lily had never been on the receiving end of before.

"I can't concentrate on helping anyone else if I'm worrying about your safety. Now you WILL stay here and you WILL get out of my way."

Lily moved closer to him, the defiance in her eyes lit up by another shot of lightning.

"I can't do that."

Cullen wanted to strangle her. Her face was so close to his he could feel her breath on his skin. She smelled like honey and sunshine.

"Lily, I-"

A frantic knock came at Cullen's door and they both jumped, surprised at it.

Cullen whipped open the door; the barrel of his gun in the knockers face.

It was Eva, the whore-turned-wife of Mr. Toole and good friend of Lily Bell, and she wasn't alone.

Cullen breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door wide to let her and the others she had brought with her into his home.

"We didn't know where else to go Mr. Bohannan sir, and I seen you and Mrs. Bell running this way so-"

He didn't let her finish as the last of the group scuffled in.

"Ya'll stay here and keep down low. Lock the door behind me and don't open it 'gain till I say so."

Lily gently put her hand on Cullen's arm as he aimed to leave.

"Please be careful Cullen," she said in a hushed voice as the others settled down.

Cullen couldn't bring himself to look at her so he stared at her slender fingers as they rested on his arm. He wanted to touch her in return but he couldn't. She wasn't his and never would be.

"I'll be back," he said abruptly as he turned and left.

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